Building a legacy without a front man

The Doors can be most famously noted for their theatrical presence in rock and roll. They were classified as a controversial band when they first appeared in 1965, due to lead singer Jim Morrison’s dark lyrics. Not only were his lyrics were controversial, but he was known for his bizarre and unexpected stage presence.

For instance, during a concert in Miami in March 1969, Morrison had several emotional outbursts. After screaming at the crowd and slurring inappropriate social statements, it was said that Morrison allegedly exposed his penis, creating an uproar and a riot inside the auditorium.

This incident cannot account for Morrison’s odd behavior and his drug addiction, but it did follow Morrison through most of his music career. While he was writing songs and recording albums, the Miami trial was in the background of his music career. It wasn’t until October 1970 that Morrison was finally found guilty of indecent exposure and profanity. The verdict was contested and before the case could go on appeal, Morrison died of a drug overdose in July 1971.

Without Morrison’s edgy lyrics and unconventional stage presence, the aura of The Doors wasn’t the same. The Doors were only able to fill 8 years worth of music, but they’ve become known as one of the greatest rock groups of all time.  Jim Morrison is one of the better reasons for this. Could they still manage without their front man? After his death, the remaining three members of the group created two more albums together. Instead of replacing Morrison, two of the original members stepped in for vocals. In 1972, the group decided to end their music career.

Building the legacy
Because Jim Morrison was, for the most part, the successor of The Doors, one would think that it would be hard for the remaining three members to build a legacy without him. Without their front man, the original members have maintained a rock legacy through collective reasoning and album releases.

In 1997, The Doors box set was released, which included a 4-CD set.  In 2000, Bright Midnight Records was formed. This was 90 hours of unreleased Doors music that was made available on CDs.

Finally, in 2002, two of he original members got together and created a new version of The Doors called “The Doors of the 21^st Century.” This group has performed as recently as 2008, under the name “Riders on the Storm” due to legal issues.

Because Jim Morrison’s music has never completely left the music industry, his legacy continues to live on. With memorials, re-releases, The Doors have continued to make a name for themselves in the rock industry. However, even though the post-Morrison era continues to excite fans – it was during the Morrison era that The Doors created a name for themselves, which ultimately created a legacy.

Recently, to honor their 40^th anniversary, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum presented a tribute to The Doors, entitled “Breatk on Through: The Lasting Legacy of The Doors.” 

References

Ben Fong-Torres, 2006, The Doors

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Web site: www.rockhall.com